Tag Archive: Antelope

Loper history is teaming with vibrant, passionate, and timeless opinion, and debate. Of those debates that have raged on throughout the school’s history, some have shifted the very core of this Kearney campus, and the students that live here. Shifts in the river of UNK’s history have never been short on causes, but one of the most influential currents at this school has always been the university newspaper.

Who can forget when in its first issue more than 100 years ago the Antlelope editorial board demanded Kearney invest in our youth and train the future teachers of the heartland? Decades later the paper rocked the foundations of the school when, after a particularly one-sided football game against the cornhuskers of Lincoln, its editorial asked, “Is it time to face easier competition?”. And surely no one needs to be reminded of the key role the Antelope played in spurring Mr. Edward R. Murrow to challenge the angry wave of McCarthyism that was sweeping the country in the 1950s.

Now is no time to let up. Several topics are ripe for discussion on campus. It is time for the Antelope to make its opinion known.

A topic that is always hot, unlike its food, is Chartwells, which runs campus dining.

Even though someone could blog on this topic for longer than it takes to digest the burgers and chicken sandwiches served in the Commons, I would narrow my topic to what college students learn from buffet style eating. Another offshoot could be pricing, which is outrageous in light of the food quality.

Safe driving conditions is a second potential topic. Perhaps it goes unnoticed, but there are several intersections with limited visibility. Putting new students in uncomfortable driving situations isn’t fair and could be deadly.

Whether opinions about driving or eating find their way into ink, the Antelope is sure to continue its storied role as the center of debate on Kearney’s campus.

Like this:

Thanks to an agreement between the American Democracy Project and the UNK communications department The Antelope will be taking proposals for investigative stories. Though I have not seen the guidelines, I assume the projects will require one or a series of stories on the proposed issue.

Last semester, while I was senior reporter for The Antelope, I tried to take on an investigative project. My topic was the ageless and infinitely gripping, terrifying household adversary, mold. More specifically I investigated the prevalence of mold in the University Heights Apartments, based on complaints I heard from several classmates.

Even though I was less than pleased with the story I wrote, I did gain some fun experiences. I was denied public information, almost filed my first freedom of information request, received both veiled and explicit though unfounded threats, and got to see a few administrators experience various shades of anger.

Now, I know that may not sound like a great deal of fun, but I had a blast. So, I’m looking for new topics to investigate as part of one of these sponsored investigative projects. As a university, UNK offers a host of interesting topics, from alcohol, drugs and sex, to illegal aliens, to the budget.

But, I’d hate to limit my topics to the ones that seem obvious to me. In my several years working for the paper, I found a number of interesting occurrences that never surface in the papers or even in public discussion. As with my mold story I think we all benefit when some of these more secret situations are aired out in public.

So, I’d like your help. If you have any ideas for a project, that you don’t mind if I take up, or just have something you think should be covered, please let me know. Even if you have an idea you would like to keep for yourself please share it (just let me know you want to claim it).

Writing about uncovered issues can make a difference and lead to change. If you have an issue worthy of an investigative project, I encourage you to pursue the story, or suggest it here for someone else to claim.